Which of the following is a basic characteristic of European music?

• A. Chords or Harmony
• B. Call and Response Form
• C. Riffs
• D. Pentatonic Scales

Answer: (A)

Harmony and chords form a defining feature of European music, providing the vertical structure that underpins melodies and tunes through distinct tonal centers and progressions. Over centuries, European traditions moved from early polyphonic textures toward a system of triads and functional harmony (tonic, dominant, subdominant) that drives tension and resolution in a predictable way. This harmonic framework is what many students recognize as characteristic of European music years and genres, from Renaissance and Baroque to Classical and beyond. Call-and-response, by contrast, is a feature more common in African and Afro-diasporic musical practices, emphasizing a dialogue between voices. Riffs are closely tied to modern popular and rock styles, focusing on repeating melodic figures rather than the broad harmonic language. Pentatonic scales show up in many musical cultures, including some European folk tunes, but they don’t define European music as a whole in the way chordal harmony does.